Public incredulous former MP Chiwaya carried a gun in august House to shoot himself in front of Clerk of Parliament

Former legislator Clement Chiwaya reported to have left a suicide letter

*His last words to Kalemba are reported to be ‘I could choose to shoot you first and then myself but I will spare you’

* With a fully loaded gun I could have killed these people but I will go alone. Let them prevail—says the suicide note

By Duncan Mlanjira

People have expressed shock and incredulity at the news that former Deputy Speaker of Parliament Clement Chiwaya carried a pistol into the august House and proceeded to shoot himself in the head in front of the Clerk of Parliament, Fiona Kalemba.

People are wondering and fearing for the legislators’ lives and that of the President on such security lapse but sources say he might have passed through security scanners since he uses a wheelchair which also has steel fittings.

It is reported he drove himself and parked his car on Parliament grounds before proceeding to the office of the Clerk of Parliament where they were discussing issues to do with his benefits.

The sources say his last words to Kalemba were ‘I could choose to shoot you first and then myself but I will spare you’ — a development which commentator on Facebook, Charles Mulaga described as a gruesome act which must have left the Clerk of Parliament deeply traumatized.

Reasons for his action are not confirmed but a suicide note is circulating on social media that says:

“In my whole life I have worked very hard to ensure that I am self sufficient and I don’t rely on others for anything. My experience with Parliament has been very bad. I am not a violent person. While it would have been easier to hurt others with the means I have, I don’t want that to be my legacy.

“My heart and spirit has been brought down not because of the possession such as a vehicle but the persistent begging that I am doing to get what belongs to me. Is this life worth living. Probably yes to others.

“For me, the fact that I have taken the issue to various people and I am forced to be begging them to do something is really depressing. I don’t have any more energy to carry on. Many of you will not forgive me but I am down. I have reached the end of my tether.

“If I continue living, I will hurt others and I don’t want that to happen — I am already suffering from my post polio syndrome which is getting worse everyday. Compounded by this these people think I am asking for charity and yet this is a vehicle I bought with my own money.

“I love my wife Sullea she has given me the best 11 years or so since I made a choice to live with her. We have seen ups and downs and she is my pillar in times of hurt like this. Yes, we had plans to wed in December. Ring or no ring you gave me the best days. I love my children Bhubhile Sandra Crecencia Caleb and Clement Jr.

“I really want to apologize to them for the pain I will bring to them. My fear is if I continue living I will hurt others especially the people that have decided to make my life miserable that way my family will be ostracized. I am going to Parliament and do this to make a statement that I know they are doing this because I am disabled and they don’t value me.

“I would like to thank Martha Chizuma as Oumbsdsman because she saw the injustice and also judges at the Commercial Court for their part in trying to see this come to an end. Parliament feels they have the audacity to deny me what belongs to me and I have to go and beg them. I have had enough of that.

“With a fully loaded gun I could have killed these people but I will go alone. Let them prevail. I want everything that I have to be enjoyed by my mum, my wife and my kids mentioned above. I am going with a free mind.

“Sullea, I will always love you even in my death. Apiti Jana tuchisimana. I love you mum. To my mum and dad in US and to all my friends, I will always value the support you gave me through and through. We will meet on the other side.”

Parliament spokesperson Ian Mwenye confirmed the incident and as the police have been involved, they were better placed to give more details.

In June this year, the Nation newspaper reported that the Office of the Ombudsman ruled in favour of Chiwaya in a case he accused Parliament of failing to process change of ownership for his official car despite paying the purchase price.

The report says the former Mangochi Central legislator filed a complaint at the Ombudsman on February 16, 2021 where it was learnt

that he failed to insure the car as it was still in the government’s name and that things got complicated when the car, which was modified to suit his physical disability, was involved in an accident.

In her determination dated May 31 2021, former Ombudsman Martha Chizuma said it was maladiminstration for the National Assembly to fail to process change of ownership for Chiwaya whose tenure of office spanned between 2014 and 2019.

She had said: “It is completely unacceptable that change of ownership for a governmental vehicle should take more than two years to be processed.

“This was a straightforward matter for the respondents to resolve and it should not have incurred such an inordinate delay, especially considering the complainant’s physical incapacity and the changes he needed to do to his motor vehicle.”

Chizuma ordered Parliament Secretariat to assess the value of the car of similar condition Chiwaya was using and that this should be done by June 30, 2021 and further ordered Parliament to assess the cost of modifying the vehicle to suit the complainant’s condition by the same June 30, 2021.

Chizuma also ordered Parliament to pay Chiwaya compensation for the injustice occasioned to the complainant and to be paid by 31st July, 2021.

The Ombudsman also said it was apparent in the evidence that the complainant did his part of the agreement by confirming his interest to buy the car and indicating the mode of payment which was to be facilitated by the respondents.

She said the problem she noted was the careless manner the change of ownership was handled by Parliament.

In an interview with the Nation in June, Parliament spokesperson Mwenye had confirmed they were in receipt of the Ombudsman’s determination and they were “studying the content and context”.